French far-left leader Melenchon close to presidential runoff, poll shows
Melenchon has already run three times for president in 2012, 2017 and 2022 but has never managed to reach the second round
August 26, 2026 19:02
PARIS: French far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon is seen as the possible rival to far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in next year’s presidential run-off, a second poll showed this week, stressing the electorate’s growing polarization as Emmanuel Macron’s era ends.
Melenchon, the leader of far-left France Unbowed (LFI), would end up second in the first round of the presidential election scheduled in April 2027, qualifying for a second round, in three out of seven scenarios tested by the IFOP pollster on August 24 and 25.
